This is the first application filed for the present invention.
Not applicable.
This invention relates to the provision of long distance service and, in particular, to a method and system for providing telephone service to customers who use electronic text messages to submit toll call service requests.
The use of mobile communications devices and cellular telephones is growing rapidly as consumers are discovering the advantages of being accessible while commuting, or otherwise away from their office or home.
While many newer mobile communications devices, like the majority of wireless application protocol (WAP) phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), and micro browsers, permit users to send and receive electronic text messages, such as electronic mail (e-mail), short text messages (SMS) and instant messages (IM), from virtually anywhere, the demand for voice communications has continued to rise. Despite the alternatives to voice calls, the speed and efficiency of feedback afforded by a voice call continues to be irreplaceable.
While the demand for voice communications using mobile communications devices is unabated, the cost of originating toll calls from mobile communications devices remains high. It is common practice for wireless telephone service providers to charge subscribers for all air-time, for xe2x80x9croamingxe2x80x9d, and for toll services, a premium long distance connection rate that is higher than rates paid for wireline toll calls. Roaming charges apply when a subscriber uses a mobile communications device outside of the subscriber""s home area. In addition to the long distance rates charged to subscribers, it is also common practice for wireless service providers to bill roaming subscribers for xe2x80x9cinboundxe2x80x9d toll charges.
A premium is also paid by users of convenience telephones, such as hotel, airport, airplane, or resort telephones. Users of convenience telephones may be billed surcharges on all outgoing calls, incurring an expense substantially higher than the rate charged by the telephone service provider.
It is known in the prior art for a long distance service provider (LDSP) to provide long distance telephone services to customers by originating telephone calls in response to request messages sent through the Internet by the customer. Applicant""s co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/709,343, entitled A SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ESTABLISHING LONG DISTANCE CALL CONNECTIONS USING A PERSONAL COMMUNICATIONS ASSISTANT, filed on Nov. 13, 2000, describes an exemplary method for initiating toll call connections from a Worldwide Web server. In accordance with that invention, a personal communications assistant (PCA) is used to initiate a toll connection by issuing a call request message that is sent through the Internet to the LDSP. The call request message is issued by a call completion application that resides in the PCA.
There are many mobile communications devices, such as certain wireless appliances and telephones, which are adapted to perform electronic text messaging, but not adapted to access other Internet services. Such devices are not provisioned to send Internet Protocol (IP) messages to initiate toll connections.
Moreover, many work environments permit employees to access e-mail or instant messaging, but do not allow Internet access. There are many situations in which customers who would like to request a toll call connection have access to e-mail, SMS or IM, but do not have access to a Worldwide Web browser.
There therefore remains a need for a method and system for receiving toll call connection requests contained in electronic text messages, and for effecting the connection requested using information contained in the electronic text message.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a method and a system for receiving toll call connection requests contained in electronic text messages, and for effecting the connections requested.
It is another object of the invention to provide a system adapted to receive electronic text messages in one or more predefined formats, and to formulate toll connection request messages using information contained in the electronic text messages.
In accordance with the invention, registered customers can submit electronic text messages to a long distance service provider message server to initiate a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) call. The electronic text message can conform to any of the popular text message formats, including electronic mail (email), short message service (SMS), and instant text messages (IM). The system permits calls to be established between substantially any two PSTN terminations. Consequently, customers to initiate calls that originate from cell phones or convenience phones, etc. while paying reduced toll call rates.
When an electronic text message is received, information contained in the message is extracted and used to generate a connection request that is sent to call completion equipment that effects the call. In order to facilitate use, the only information that is required to set up a two-party Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS) call is a call command and a destination number. The customer is identified using sender information extracted from the electronic text message. The originating number for the call is extracted from a customer profile. The potential for fraud is therefore reduced, while convenience is maximized.
On the other hand, utility is maximized by accommodating a complex message structure that permits calls to be scheduled, originating numbers added to the profile, billing codes specified and points of presence (POPs) to be specified in order to control costs when mobile equipment is used to originate calls.
The method and system in accordance with the invention therefore provides a simple, convenient and powerful mechanism for launching calls that can advantageously be used by millions of devices having access to an electronic text messaging service.